February 16, 2017 | Asher Stefani
LESS IS BEST, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S BIGGER AND MORE EFFICIENT!
Automotive trends in 2017 will play a major role in the direction of the industry moving forward well past this year with an array of engine efficiency and technological advances that will transform the future. This year boasts some automotive trends that just a few years ago seemed not only far-fetched, but to some out right unthinkable from turbo charged engines becoming the norm to bigger vehicles that are more efficient than smaller ones from last year to the electric vehicle surge and more.
Automotive features that were only found in the expensive vehicles before are not simply becoming the standard for engines and technology alike. This is the automotive wave of the future for 2017 and beyond.
LET’S DIVE IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP 5 BIG AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS IN 2017!
LARGE CROSSOVER SUV’S: HUGE AMONG AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS (EVEN THE EXPENSIVE ONES)
Medium size crossover SUV’s are very popular and will continue to be through 2017, but one of the biggest automotive trends moving forward are large crossovers. With the new larger crossovers on the rise it is clear that they will become more and more popular as they come with a number of impressive features in both the technology and efficiency aspects.
Some of these features include:
- High end driver safety technology
- New infotainment options
- More engine power, but more efficient engine
- Larger vehicles and larger/stylish wheels
- Full third row seating options
- And more!
The best part of the automotive trends for large crossover SUV’s is the fact that they are available from multiple brands and priced from economy to expensive in order to please anyone who is interested. The age of the minivan is quickly being overcome by larger crossover’s that are stylish, roomy and efficient.
Here are a few new ones to look out for:
- Porsche Cayenne and Macan (Expensive, $60,000+)
- Bentley Bentayga (Expensive, $229,100)
- Subaru Viziv-7
- Audi Q8
- Lexus RX 350
- Volkswagen Tiguan S 4Motion AWD
- Chevrolet Traverse and Equinox
- Fiat 500X Trekking AWD
- And Many More
LARGE TIRES AND WHEELS ARE NOT JUST ONE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS, BUT ARE HERE TO STAY
One of my personal favorite automotive trends heading into 2017 are the larger tires and wheels that will be featured on not only crossovers, but cars, trucks and SUV’s alike. Typically this is an aftermarket purchase, but new vehicles are coming out with larger wheels and tires that have more style. Although, the aftermarket is still expected to make a huge impact this year and beyond in this category. According to the 2016 SEMA Market Report, performance tires and aftermarket wheels combined for just over $5 billion and is expected to jump even higher in 2017.
More Efficient Tires
One of the automotive trends for tires this year is to make tires more efficient and durable. Bob Ulrich, editor of Modern Tire Dealer says, “All of the tire manufacturers are working on reducing rolling resistance in tires, since the more freely tires roll, the less energy is needed to move the vehicle forward, obviously improving fuel economy.” Ulrich continued, “However, low-rolling resistant tires are not yet a trend on the consumer level. The more fuel-efficient a tire is, the more trade-offs there are in other performance areas such as wet traction and tread wear. If that isn’t enough to discourage consumers, fuel efficient tires tend to cost more.”
Not all new 2017 vehicles will have the top notch tires on the market, but a great example is the Ford Raptor that comes equipped with tires specifically made based on the trucks chassis and suspension to form the perfect balance for both street and off-road usage. This is the direction of tires in 2017 and beyond.
Larger and More Stylish Wheels
Now to the fun part, wheels! This is one of the hottest automotive trends of this decade and it is absolutely here to stay. Larger wheels that are more stylish are becoming more and more popular every year with wheels that make heads turn as you drive by. Not only is this going to be huge for aftermarket wheels, but for standard wheels on new vehicles as well.
According to Mike Floyd, Editor-in-Chief of Automobile magazine, “Eighteens are now becoming commonplace on even compact crossovers, with 20s becoming more of the norm for bigger sedans. Wheel style is an ever-greater consideration as well to make an automaker’s car stand out in the crowded market segments.”
This is great for MGP Caliper Covers because our product is perfect for styling your awesome wheels. Over the years we are seeing more vehicles on the road with caliper covers to really make their wheels pop. The bigger the tires and wheels, the more the calipers show on a vehicle so this new automotive trend should bode well for MGP moving forward. Especially now that everyone seems to want customization for their vehicles. Luckily for consumers MGP offers custom caliper covers with any color and any logo so they can be designed exactly to the consumer’s desire.
ENGINES: POWER AND EFFICIENCY AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS
Everyone loves powerful engines, especially turbo boosted engines that sound beautiful to the ears and draw looks from pedestrians as the vehicle rides by. Now imagine that with a powerful turbo engine that is actually efficient fuel economy! That is exactly how the engine automotive trends are looking for 2017 and based on reaction from automotive engineers and experts it will only get better and better. Technically this is among the automotive trends that have been in the works for some time, but in 2017 it is more common and quickly becoming the norm which is great for dealers and consumers alike.
How are they making engines that are more powerful, yet more efficient you might ask? That is a great question and here are some of the ways automotive engineers are making it happen.
- Dual injection
- Turbocharging smaller fuel efficient engines
- Higher compression ratios
- And much more!
Although some may disagree, diesel is not dead when it comes to automotive trends now and into 2017. Despite scandal that involved Volkswagon and caused a fairly heavy blow to the diesel automotive industry, it still has clout and new diesel vehicles are coming.
Here are some of the brands that are pushing diesel into automotive trends this year:
EV: ELECTRIC PLUG IN VEHICLES
Electric vehicles are definitely among the hottest automotive trends heading into 2017 and well beyond as there will be some game-changing EV’s coming out this year. EV’s have always been efficient when it comes to gas mileage, but when you can purchase a vehicle that will travel over 200 miles before a recharge for less than $35,000 (after government tax incentives) it is hard to say that is not a breakthrough for the electric vehicle. To go along with the outstanding and unheard of gas mileage these new EV’s are producing, new technology as allowed for batteries to be produced at a higher quality while lowering in cost at the same time. When the year 2020 rolls around, there will be a large number of electric vehicles flooding the US market and being produced by the majority of auto brands.
Many experts are saying despite the new wave of EV’s hitting the market, sales will more than likely remain low for now as there are a ton of vehicles on the market right now that are more affordable. This makes sense for now, but as time goes on these EV’s will become more cost-friendly and really take off.
Here are some electric vehicles to look out for:
AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS: TECHNOLOGY REVAMPED
This blog post would not be complete without bringing up the new technology automotive trends that will be breaking barriers in 2017 and beyond. This year technology that used to be only featured in expensive vehicles like BMW and Mercedes Benz will be more prominent in economic vehicles and start truly becoming common place. This is a big win for everyone because dealers can target a much larger market and the consumers will have a lot more options when it comes to purchasing a vehicle that comes with the latest technology for a price they can afford.
HERE ARE A FEW HUGE TECHNOLOGY AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS THAT WILL BE MORE CONSISTENT THIS YEAR AND BEYOND:
Driver Safety Assist Technology
- Forward and Backup Collision Warning
- Blind Spot Detection
- Rear Crossing Alert and Pedestrian Detection Warning
- Driver Drowsiness Detection
- Traffic Sign Recognition
- Park Assist
- Turn Assist
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Lane Departure Warning
- And Even Night Vision!
Infotainment Technology
AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS AND THE FUTURE
2017 is going to be a great year for the automotive industry in many ways and shape the future for dealers and consumers alike. It is a truly exciting time as everything automotive continues to improve year after year with new technology.
Please don’t hesitate to let us know your thoughts on the industry as well as any hot automotive trends we may have missed in our post.
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